


Something Like Elation

by iwtv



Category: Orange is the New Black
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 00:39:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18712954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwtv/pseuds/iwtv
Summary: A little something soft and sweet, inspired by my recent trip to the Florida Keys. I couldn't help but think of Piper and Alex overseas and the beauty fish and maybe Piper writes handwritten letters to Alex in prison, the way Alex did to her?





	Something Like Elation

Piper stared at the fish and the fish stared back at her.

There were other tropical fish all around her, of course. A giant school of small, silvery fish with yellow stripes on either side zig-zagged back and forth. A group of five or six larger, peach-yellow fish with black eye bands were off to her left. She called those the raccoon fish. And just behind them even more fish hovered around and hid in the outcropping of rocks that stretched back to the shoreline.

But this fish was special. It was the only one of its kind. And Piper was held captive by it.

Vivid blue and neon yellow it was, with neat black stripes covering its sides; something you would see in an aquarium and maybe wonder at for a few minutes. But here, snorkeling in the ocean, Piper was humbly shocked by its presence and beauty.

The fish seemed to be watching her too, hovering in front of her as if floating in air. Then it swam a few feet and turned around, still not fleeing from her.

She felt something like elation. This was important. She didn’t know why exactly, it just was. She wanted to share this.

Piper planted her feet on the sandy bottom and emerged, tugging off her snorkel gear.

“Alex!” she called.

Alex wasn’t far, but she was snorkeling, the back of her black hair and snorkel bobbing in the water. Piper moved as fast as her legs could cut through the water.

“Alex! Alex.”

She smacked Alex’s shoulder. Alex popped up, taking off her gear. Piper knew she must have looked like she was going to pee herself with excitement.

“Whoa babe. Chill,” Alex laughed. “What did you see?”

Piper was already gesturing for her to put her goggles back on.

They snorkeled back over to where the fish had been. Piper was certain all her splashing must have sent it swimming far away, but then she spotted it again. She gestured for Alex to hand her the underwater camera. Alex followed her, and Piper eagerly pointed out the fish.

It wasn’t often Piper felt like she impressed Alex in any real way, but today she saw Alex’s eyes flash as Alex gave her a quick thumbs up and swam closer to the fish. The feeling of elation returned to Piper. She managed to take a few photos of Alex behind the fish before it swam off. They left the water after. Piper tore off her gear, grinning ear to ear.

“Wasn’t that amazing? It was so pretty, and it wasn’t scared at all.”

“That was pretty cool, I’ll admit,” said Alex. “I wonder what kind it was. Looked like a tang fish or something.”

“It was a beauty fish,” Piper beamed at her. “A real, live beauty fish.”

Alex snorted, but she was smiling.

After they showered and returned to the hotel that evening Piper stopped to smell the fresh bouquet left in their room; a fancy courtesy of management. They were little white flowers with five petals. She smoothed a petal between her index finger and thumb. Alex slipped up behind her, engulfing her waist with her bare arms.

“Oh look, beauty flowers,” she sassed softly in Piper’s ear.

“Mmm. They remind me of you,” Piper replied. “Smooth and pale, soft but strong.”

She tip-toed her fingers over Alex’s arms, one word per finger. “Like…your…skin.”

Alex spun her around and Piper shuddered at the look in her eyes.

“You’re really sexy right now, you know that?” said Alex.

Piper felt just a little heat rise in her cheeks. It wasn’t the first time someone had made such a comment to her of course, but when Alex spoke them it always did things to her. Alex tipped her chin back and kissed her. If Alex’s words stirred her then Alex’s lips definitely heightened the effect, like some exotic aphrodisiac Piper had never tried before but was instantly hooked on.

They made love that night. Alex’s mouth dove right for her center, making her hot and pliant and aching. When she raised herself back to Piper’s face she kissed Piper as though she meant to never kiss her again. It ripped something guttural from Piper’s throat.

Afterwards Piper lay awake in the quiet, thinking about nothing in particular and everything all at once.

*

Piper rubs the petal of the small white flower she’d found and sits it down on the bedside table. This room was no fancy overseas hotel and there was no ocean now, but she carries those things with her just the same as she puts pen to paper.

_Alex,_

_I found a white flower today and took it home. Do you remember the day we saw the beauty fish? Of course you do. You might not remember those flowers in the hotel room that night. I’d forgotten the details of that night until I found this flower. For a long time I thought I’d lost that time in a way, but now I remember. I remember more and more about our time both before and during prison. Not the major, dramatic stuff, but the smaller things. I’ve made myself remember every detail I can and I hold onto them tightly. I can’t wait for you to be free again so we can talk about all the dumb little things I’m remembering and laugh and smile and maybe cry a little. I’ll write again early next week. Hold the fort down in there, will you?_

_Love,_

_Piper_

She folds the letter and puts it in an envelope, then turns out the lights, ready for bed. A minute later she turns the lamp back on. She picks up the flower and drops it into the envelope, sealing it shut. She’ll mail it out in the morning.

She dreams of warm salt water and tropical fish and Alex’s lips over hers.

***


End file.
